End or side closure for cigarette packages



May 13, 1930, R. A. OGDEN END OR SIDE CLOSURE FOR CIGARETTE PACKAGES Filed Sept. 21, 1929 Fmhdr A 9 I NVENTOR A ATTORNEY Patented May. 13, 193'.

PATENT orrlca Brennan A. oennn, or new YORK, n. Y.

END onsrnn ctosunnron oren'nn'r'rn rAoxneEs I Application filed September 21, 1929. Serial No. $94-$21,

vMy invention relates to an improved end or side closure for cigarette-packages and like articles; Many brands of cigarettes, perhaps the great majority; are sold in paper covered packages and it is a common practice with cigarette smokers to remove one end or a part of the end of the paper cover of the package to enable cigarettes to be'withdrawn from lothe package. The filler of cigarettes is fine tobacco, some of which almost invariably sifts out of the wrapper and when the ackage is carried in the pocket, as it usua ly is, the tobacco will fall out of the package through the open end thereof into the pocket, causing annoyance to the smoker. The wra per of the package is of relatively thin, easi y deformable, paper and after the'withdrawal of a certain number of cigarettes from the package, the latter as a whole loses stifiness or body and the cigarettes remaining in the package move about readily therein and are easil r crushed or broken, and-the sifting of the to accofiller outof the paper wrapper is augmented. Moreover, when the end of a cigarette package is completely removed, the

cigarettes fall out too freely and may be lost, while if only a portion of the end is removed, the cigarettes remaining in the package are as not-easily accessible and considerable gropingby the fingers is necessary to withdraw a cigarette, and even then the cigarette may be crushed and fendered unusable by the act of withdrawal.-

With these defects of the usual cigarette package in mind, the object of my invention is to provide a package end or side closure which will reserve the original shape of the panying drawing wherem, Figure 1 sa perspective view of a cigarette packs e provided package in' efinitely, irrespective of the num' ber of cigarettes withdrawn from the package; will revent the cigarettes in the pack: age from eing crushed or torn or otherwise injuredywill prevent tobacco from falling out ofthe ackage, will make the cigarettes in the package readily accessible and will present a neat and attractive appearance.

A further object of this invention is to provide a skeleton cover or top for a pa er cigarette package which.- will be provi ed with a top member under tension ad pted to be released by applying pressure to the face of the to cover element.

Another ob ect of my invention is to provide a simple inexpensive cover element for a cigarette package having a plurality of dependent legs adapted to extend between the inner and outer wrapping of the cigarette package whereby the package may be maintained in its original sha e and permitting the easy removal of the cigarettes,

Another object of my invention is to provide a closure element for an ordinary cigarette package which is provided with a plurality of dependent legs secured to a topfelement, but spaced from the walls thereof to provide a groove to receive the top edges of the cigarette package and to present abetter appearance to the cigarette container and moresecurely sealthe cpntainer for the cigarettes to prevent remature drying out, andprevent loose toliacco spilling into ones pocket.

Another object of this invention is to pro- .vide a closure element for a cigarettepeckage, having a cover under tension and adapted to be released by a minimum finger pressure, which cover when opened exposes all the cigarettes in the package and yet which when closed effectively surrounds and encloses the top of the cifgarettelpackage and prevents tearing thereo' Stated in general terms, the invention comprises side members or legs insertible in the package, and a collar or flange engageable with one end of the package and carrying a movable cover closed. p

The invention is illustrated 1n the accomwhich may be opened or with the improved end closure, is e coverof which is shown open; Figure 2 is a erspective' view of the end closure with t e cover down or closed; Fi re 3' is a vertical sectional viewsubstantially on the line 3--3 of Figure 4:; Figures; is a verticalv sectional view on the line 44 of. Figure 3, and Figure 5 is a fragmentary view 0 a slightly modl lied to I of the invention,

The eviee is shown in the drawings as being of general oblongform, as that is the form of the usual cigarette package of commerce, although it will be readily understood differing in width and capacity. The device is preferably made of spring metal and the legs, as well as the other par-ts, may be plain or ornamented as desired. I

The upper ends of legs 10 are secured to or are formed integrally with the inner faces of the narrower sides. 11 of a substantially rectangular, rather shallow, frame designated generally as 12. A space 13 is left at the upper part of each leg 10 between its outer surface and the adjacent inner surface of the side 11 of the flange. It will also be observed that the width of the legs is less than the distance from front to rear of the inside of the frame 12, so that a clearance 14 is provided between each front and rear edge of the leg and the adjacent wall of the frame.

The spaces 13 and clearances 14 are for reception of parts of the paper of the cigarette package, as will be more fully described later;

Hinge'dly supported at the upper edge of one ofthe walls (which for convenience may be the longer rear wall) 15 of the frame 12 is a cover 16 having at or near its front edge, one member 17 of a releasable catch, the other complemental member 18 of which is carried at or nearthe upper edge of the front wall 19 of the frame 12. A spring 20 tends to move the cover to o en position (Figure '1) when the catch mem ers,1718 are released, which may be done by the exertion of relatively light pressure on the wall 19 of frame 12. It is obvious-that the cover might be also hinged on'the narrow or end wall of.

this if desired and the releasable catch could either be opposite the; hinge as shown or along the long walls.

The modi ed form of Figure 5 is in all' respects like he preferred form, except that the cover is made of two parts, viz :--part 16 which is not movable relatively to frame 12 and .part 16 which, like the oove'r16 in the preferred form, is hinged. The only difierence between the two forms of the invention tion of the package contents than the cover. I 16 when the latter is open.

Figures 1 and 3 show how the device is to i be used. The ordinary cigarette package consists of an outer wra per A and an inner wrapper B, with the cigarettes C within the package. In using my device, the whole or a portion of one end of the inner and outer wrappers is removed and the legs .10 are slid down between the wrappers A and B so that the cover 16 comes to lie over the exposed end of the package. The frame 12 forms, in effect, a reenforcing flange for the upper end of the package and lies at the outside thereof, while parts of the upper edge and the corners of the inside wrapper B are accommodated in the spaces 13 and clearances 14. It may be noted that each leg as a whole, is of less width than the package from front to rear, and the leg is also of less length than the depth of the package, so that there may be no tendency for the edges of the legs to cut the. wrapper material when the device is inserted in and withdrawn from a package. The device constitutes, in effect, a skeleton cigarette case which may be used with any number of cigarette packages, being used with one package until the contents are 'conan improved form of cover particularly adapted to cooperate with the usual cigarette package and which will more effectively open and seal the package. The package is opened entirely across the to by the simple pressure on the flexible face 0? the rim of the element which will unloosen the cover permitting the spring to open the cover and instantaneously expose all the cigarettes. This is a decided advantage in'removing all the cigarettes and while the surrounding frame 12 eflectively encloses the top of the package and prevents loose tobacco from sifting therefrom, the complete exposure of all the cigarettes is a decided factor of improvement as all the cigarettes are always accessible. Tuggiug and shaking the container is obviated. The skeleton form of the container also gives another feature of improvement which resides in the open sides whereby the brand of the cigarettes and the external advertising is alwa s exposed. It is not only necessary but undesirable to provide a full cover as a cigarette top is adequate and presents the ci arettes in every suitable manner. The tohacco cannot fall out, nor can the cigarettes be crushed and yet the top or cover is easily placed in position and opened with the least effort.

Due to the close fitting metallic top arrangement the outer cover of the container which is usually of paper,'the end of which is removed when the metal top is placed over the container, extends into the groove and the top will as efiectively seal the cigarettes as if the paper cover end had not been removed. i

While .I have shown a preferred form'of embodiment of my device, I am aware that other, modificatio s may be made therein and I therefore desire aninterpretation of my invention within the scope and spirit thereof and as particularly defined in the appended claims. I claim:

1. An end or side closure for cigarette ipackages, comprising a frame including a ange designed to embrace the outer portion of thepackage at one of its ends, side members carried b the frame with the inner faces of the top 0 the side members spaced away from the inner faces of the adjacent walls of the frame, said side members being ofless width than the laterally adjacent walls of the frame whereby clearancesare formed between the upper portions of the side members and the longer walls of the frame, said side members also being of less width than the distance from front to rear of the package and of less I length than thedepth of the package and a cover for the closure.

2. A cigarette package cover of the class described comprising a narrowskeleton body portion, a top portion secured thereto, a

' spring adapted to tension said top portion in closed position, legs secured to said narrow body portion and depending therefrom, said legs being spaced from said narrow body portion to form a groove sufficient to receive the outer casing of the cigarette container, to effectively seal said container when its -'top portion is removed, said depending legs adapted to project between the inner and outer walls of the cigarette package and adapted-to expose the advertising media on the outside of said package.

3. .An interchangeable package closure adapted to be provided for a paper cigarette container, which comprises a skeleton body 40 port ion, legs dependent therefrom and adapted to extend within the walls of said cigarette container, said legs being spaced from'said body portion sufficient to receive the outer cover of said cigarette container and effective- 1y seal said container when the top thereof is removed and a spring actuated top cooperating with said skeleton body portion. 7 4. A cigarette package cover comprising a narrow body portionadap'ted to encircleand surround'the top of a cigarette package, a movable top portion secured thereto, legs secured to said body portion and depending therefrom for insertion within the outerwrapper of the cigarette package to hold the package in shape, said legs being sufficiently spaced from said body portion to form an unobstructed passage between the legs' and the body portion to receive the top of the cigarette package between said body portion and 00 said legs.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

' RICHARD A. OGDEN. 

